Vernon 8 Cowichan Valley 4

Vernon 8 Cowichan Valley 4

Was at tonights game as Vernon defeated Cowichan Valley 8-4 in front of 2,232 fans at the Wesbild Center.

1st Period:This is the Capitals one and only visit to the Wesbild Center. The Vipers jumped out to a quick start, getting the puck in deep, really moving the puck well down low, Ryan Santana had an early scoring chance getting a quick shot off from the top of the circle before former Salmon Arm Silverback & Powell River King goaltender Chris Rawlings made the save. Kyle Bigos just two minutes into the period wired a quick shot from the point wich went through a crowd in front but hit the post. Vipers were buzzing early creating many chances down low. Cowichan Valley got the puck on a bad turnover in the Vernon zone and for a good two minutes had some chances in close, this was as close as the Capitals would come for offence during the 1st period as it was all Vernon from here on in. The Vipers would open the scoring just four and a half minutes into the game after Mike Collins with some strong forecheck, kept the puck in at the blueline, then showed some hustle and wired a quick shot from the slot wich beat Rawlings putting Vernon up 1-0. Vernon looked very strong, skating well, with some nice soft crisp passes and showed lots of hustle for most of tonights game. The Vipers were skating circles around the Capitals defenders in the Cowichan zone, cyclying the puck inbehind the Caps net, creating lots of chances in close. Rob Short & "AP" Kory Roy went in two on one, but Short couldnt beat Rawlings, who come up with the nice pad save. With just over 12 minutes remaining in the 1st, and just 10 seconds into a Vernon powerplay Steve Tresierra & Adam Thompson moved the puck at the line before making a lazer pass across the slot to find Braden Pimm who found the back of the goal as the Vipers were up 2-0. Off the next faceoff before they could even announce the goal, Chris Crowell beat Rawlings as Vernon jumped ahead 3-0 scoring two quick goals just seconds apart. Rawlings was yanked after the 3rd goal, giving up three goals on just eight Vernon shots. Backup goaltender Taylor Pears come into the Cowichan pipes. Rawlings stormed down into the tunnel where he stood against the wall for a good five minutes before returning to the Capitals bench. The Vipers wernt done here, as it was all Vernon, with the Capitals on a powerplay, Cory Kane stole the puck from a Cowichan Valley d-man, Kane was in front all alone getting two scoring chances in close but was stopped by Pears. On the same penalty kill Kellen Jones come in on the parcial breakaway but was stopped by Pears who was under fire. The Caps couldnt get anything going looking very sloppy on the PP. The Vipers had some great scoring chances shorthanded. This was a physical period as both teams were laying the body. Vipers dominated the 1st carrying the better of the play. Late in the period Ryan Stanimir gave Braden Pimm a glove in the face after a whistle, on the next play the Vipers got the puck in deep and after the whistle some pushing and shoving took place in the Caps zone. Captain Chris Crowell dropped the gloves with Taylor Holst, Braden Pimm and veteran Zach Zaires were pushing and shoving, getting the gloves up, both players were yapping back and forth at one another. This was all with 3:04 remaining as both teams got fired up. With Vernon on a late powerplay Kyle Bigos wired a blast from the blueline wich beat Pears with just 4.9 seconds to go in the period. Vernon was up 4-0 after 20 mins of play. The Vipers outshot the Capitals 16-5.

2nd Period: Vernon got the puck in deep and just seconds into the period the puck come back to the point where Adam Thompson wired a quick shot but Pears come up with the save. Pears had to be ready as Vernon was firing everything on goal in the early goings. Just minutes later Kevin Kraus blasted a shot from the slot with Pears coming up with a huge glove save keeping Cowichan Valley in the game. Vernon carried the early play dominating the Capitals in there own end. Vernons speed and skill down low was too much as Cowichan couldnt stop the Vipers. Cory Kane had a great scoring chance, cutting in from the corner, and then wiring a wicked wrist shot from the circle, wich just went high and over the net. With Cowichan Valley on a powerplay it was once again the Vipers who carried the play, looking very strong on the penalty kill. John Digness & Rob Short went in two on one, Digness made a nice pass over to Short who beat Pears as the Vipers were in full control up 5-0. The Capitals struggled offensivly and defensivly having all kinds of trouble with Vernon. Cowichan Valley recorded there first shot on goal with eight minutes remaining in the 2nd but the shot was counted on the shot clock, the next Caps shot wich found the net came with just over six minutes left in the period. Cowichans best scoring chance came when a shot from the point was re-directed in close, the puck snuck through the pads of Graeme Gordon, coming out the backside but Nick Amies was there to clear the loose puck out of the crease. With Vernon on a powerplay Vernon product Bryce Kakoske come close to putting the Vipers up 6-0 but rang his shot off the post. Former Penticton Vee Anthony Perdicaro was tossed from tonights game after taking some undisaplined penalties. Vernon dominated the 2nd having the better of the play, the Vipers peppered Taylor Pears with 20 shots, Pears looked sharpe but did kick out alot of rebounds during the middle period. Vernon got into some penalty trouble late taking two minors and were now down two men. The Vipers were up 5-0 after 40 mins of play. Vernon outshot Cowichan Valley 20-7.

3rd Period: With the Capitals on a two man advantage, both carried over from the end of the 2nd period, it was once again Vernon who had the better scoring chances. Cowichan once again struggled on the powerplay, not getting a single shot on the two man advantage. Just as the Vipers would kill off one minor, they would head back to the box with another minor and the Caps would get back on another two man advantage. With just seconds remaining in the first powerplay former Westside Warrior Kevin Walrod wired a wicked shot from the point, wich beat Gordon upstairs as Cowichan finally got on the scoreboard, cutting the lead to 5-1. With the Capitals still on the powerplay it was once again the Vipers who got control of the play, Braden Pimm set up Chris Crowell in the slot who wired a shot upstairs over Pears for his 2nd goal of the game putting Vernon up 6-1. The Vipers would hit there 3rd post of the night after a shot from the point was tipped in front and hit the post as Pears was going down. Just before the midway mark of the 3rd both teams would erupt for four goals all within five or six minutes. Rob Short would put Vernon up 7-1, just minutes later Cowichans Taylor Holst beat Gordon cutting the lead to 7-2. With the Vipers sitting back, Cowichan finally pressed some good pressure deep in the Vipers zone, moving the puck well, Nicholas Wong made a nice pass over to Nick Anderson as the Caps scored back to back goals for the first time tonight, cutting the Vernon lead to 7-3. It didnt take long before the Vipers would answer back after Braden Pimm & Adam Thompson set up Mike Collins for his 2nd goal of the night as the Vipers were up 8-3. Other then the first five minutes of the 3rd with all the penalties, there was more flow with both teams going back and forth with chances at either ends of the rink. Zach Currie cut down the right wing, getting a quick shot off from the circle but Graeme Gordon kicked out his shot with a nice toe save. Gordon saw more action in the 3rd then he did in the first two periods. Connor Jones speared Chris Zaires, before Zaires crosschecked Jones to the ice, then hitting Jones in the back of the head, the two veteran players got up, yapping at one another before Jones dropped the gloves with Zaires. Around four minutes remaining and the Capitals on the powerplay Zach Currie beat Gordon cutting the lead 8-4. Vernon basically sat back for most of the 3rd, this giving Cowichan Valley some solid play in the Vipers zone. With just 45 seconds remaining Braden Pimm dropped the gloves with Taylor Holst, at the same time Kevin Kraus dropped the mits with Nick Anderson, both fights took place in front of the Vernon bench. Some pushing and shoving took place at the buzzer deep in the Capitals zone but the linesmen were there to break it up. Vernon would win there 5th straight defeating Cowichan Valley 8-4. The Vipers outshot the Capitals 15-12.

Top Players: (Vernon)

Cory Kane played a great game up front for the Vipers. Kane was skating hard, made some nice moves in close. Showed alot of hustle most of the game.

Mike Collins (2 goals) Played very solid. Collins scored two nice goals, looked very strong on the forecheck.

Chris Crowell (2 goals) played a great game. Crowell was skating hard all night, played with that intensity and edge that he needs to play with, to be a impact player. Looked very focused all night.

Rob Short (2 goals) Played very well up front. Short scored a real nice shorthanded goal. Looked very solid on the penalty kill. Played physical, was skating hard, played with alot of hustle. Has really picked up his game as of late.

Braden Pimm (1 goal & 2 assists) Played physical, got involved in the after the whistle activities. Showed alot of hustle, looked good down low, was very hard to knock off the puck down low.

Kyle Bigos (1 goal) Played a very solid defensive game on the Vernon blueline. Bigos looked very strong on the point. Took alot of big shots from the point while on the powerplay.

Connor (1 assist) & Kellen Jones (1 assist) Both brothers looked very good on the cycle. Both were hard to fight off the puck, were buzzing around the Capitals net all game.

Top Players: (Cowichan Valley)

Taylor Holst (1 goal) Was one of the Caps bright spots up front. This kid isnt afraid of the rough stuff. Had a good fight with Chris Crowell, played physical, and was always involved in the play. This kid was always getting in the faces of many Vipers, trying to get under there skin.

Taylor Pears was peppered with a ton of Vernon shots but played well. This kid needs some work with his rebound control but stood tall between the Cowichan Valley net, making some tough saves with alot of traffic in front.

Game Thoughts: (Vernon)

Nice to see the Auzzies back in Vernon, a great playoff like atmosphere at tonights game. One of the loudest games of the season. This was one of the Vipers best looking games of the season. Off the opening faceoff Vernon looked very strong, focused and ready to play. The Vipers took it to the Capitals early chasing Chris Rawlings from the net before dominating the first two periods. The Vipers speed, skill and puck movement was by far way too much for Cowichan. The Vipers dominated the first two periods, before sitting back in the 3rd, getting into some penalty trouble. Vernons skating and passing was very strong, the Vipers passing was very crisp tape to tape for most of the night. Vernon played with alot of energy, showing lots of hustle for most of the game, not letting up on many shifts. I felt sorry for Graeme Gordon, who was 12 mins away from a shutout before the Capitals would score 3 goals within a few mins. Vernons penalty kill was amazing tonight, it was the Vipers who were the ones who had the better scoring chances, and plenty of them. Vernon moves to within one pt of the first place Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

Game Thoughts: (Cowichan Valley)

This was the Caps 3rd game in three nights and it showed. Cowichan Valley was out worked, out played and out scored in the first two periods. The Capitals couldnt keep pace with Vernon who had all kinds of trouble clearing the puck out of there own end, some very poor passing and struggled on the powerplay giving up two shorthanded goals. If it wasnt for Taylor Pears the Vipers could have had another two or three shorthanded goals, with some great chances. Cowichan took some very undisaplined penalties in the first two periods. For a team with alot of veteran players, they sure didnt play well. I love the Caps new jerseys, very sharpe looking.

Scratches:

Vernon:

James Kerr
Trent Dorais
Steven Weinstein

Cowichan Valley:

Jake Bouma
Chad Hohmann
Brendan Birdsell
Kevin Lourens

3 Stars:

1st Star: Chris Crowell (2 goals)
2nd Star: Rob Short (2 goals)
3rd Star: Mike Collins (2 goals)